Glass Trays Out Of Old Microwave Ovens -- What Are They Good For ?

[AwayWeGo]

Our experience with microwaves has been pretty good -- so much so that nobody in the whole household can handle kitchen operations without at least 1 moderately high power microwave. Not only that, the quality & features & power of microwaves have gone up as the prices have come down. Remember those old high price Amana RadarRange microwaves from 30 years ago? Today's $40 Sears specials routinely zap rings around the oversize oldies that had such high prices.

Older microwaves -- most of'm anyway -- came equipped with square or oblong glass plates on the floors of the microwaves. If something spilled or boiled over during the zap process, it landed on an easy-to-clean glass tray. Later on, rotating turntables became standard equipment on just about all microwaves, & those come equipped with round glass plates instead of square or oblong glass trays.

Nothing lasts forever, & by now The Chief Of Staff & I have worn out & used up & thrown away at least a half-dozen defunct microwaves that we've replaced with better & cheaper new microwaves -- including 1 in our dinky 34-foot travel trailer. But it seemed such a shame to waste those perfectly good square & oblong glass trays & round microwave turntable plates that we have stacked up a mini-museum of perfectly good glass trays & plates out of defunct microwaves which long since went to Mt. Trashmore.

The thing is, we don't actually use those perfectly good trays & plates for anything. In fact, the question arises: Perfectly Good For What , Exactly ?

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[charford]

Use them as drip trays underneath potted plants?

 

[cindi]

I use mind for my bonsai to sit on. Works beautifully.

 

[barndweller]

I'm in the houseplant group, using it (I only have one orphan tray) as a saucer under moss filled basket planter on my dining table. I had one other that I gave to a friend who broke hers & needed a new one. It was one of those round turntable ones. She was thrilled to get a free replacement.

 

[Born2Travel]

Wow - a missed opportunity! I thought I kept too much "stuff" but that's the one thing I didn't think of keeping... could've been a great plant tray - better than the plastics I'm using now. Now I know I should never ever throw anything away - I just need to convince my DH.

 

[Kona Lovers]

...And there you have it. The optimal use for old glass trays out of defunct microwaves appears to be drip dishes for potted plants. That's a great idea, and I certainly agree that it's better than the plastic trays that fade and do not clean up well.
Other uses could include catch trays for pet food dishes, serving trays, and trays for holding the cosmetics in the bathroom.

Respectfully submitted,

Marty

 

[DaveNV]

It depends on size, shape, and durability. But uses are endless, if you have a bit of imagination. Here are a few that come to mind:

I currently use one in my kitchen under a temperamental coffeemaker, that is known to overflow for no obvious (and preventable) reason. The raised edge on the square tray holds in the spilled coffee, keeping it from running all over the counter.

Use one for a cutting board - great for grating or slicing cheese, and a snap to clean up.

Try one under the centerpiece on the dining room table (disguised under a covering of some sort) to catch drips and slops during holiday meals. Especially handy when using floral displays with water in them.

Similarly, try one as a drip catcher under a candle. It'll hold the dripping wax, and if it has feet, it may prevent your tabletop from getting too hot.

Try a larger square one under your pet food dishes, to catch those amazing messes animals always seem to make where they eat.

How about on the vanity in your bathroom, under the assorted bottles, perfumes, soaps, and such. Imagine if the toothpaste goo was in such an easy-to-clean place.

Use one as a thawing tray under frozen meat when sitting on the counter. If it has those little glass feet molded under the tray, as more modern round turntable microwave dishes seem to have, it'll keep the accumulated water from getting your counter all wet, even through osmosis.

Use square ones in the refrigerator, to catch drips under sloppy dishes, soda cans, and such.

Use one as a serving tray under a cake or pie. You can cut on it, serve from it, even cover the dessert with plastic wrap and refrigerate the leftovers.

The list could go on, but the uses are many. Hope these ideas give you some tips to think about. Obviously, you'd have to test things out to see how well they'd work, since there are no guarantees. But as I understand them, they can handle hot and cold very well, just not direct flame heat.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Tom52]

Target Practice

 

[JudyS]

Wow, what great ideas!

This is making me almost happy that my microwave just died! :rofl: Now, my only decision is whether to use the glass tray under plants or under the cats' food bowl....

 

[falmouth3]

I used mine for plants too.

 

[BevL]

Since I don't have any plants, I chuck mine with the old microwave!!!

 

[beachsands]

Sell 'em on ebay.


Joel